Thanks for asking, there's quite a ways to go before house entry. The kitchen is the lowest, and is currently several inches above pond level. The studio is probably the same, though the threshold is more level to the bricks, that side is higher. I hope. At a certain point, hopefully it'll spread sideways (N/S) rather than into the buildings (E/W).

We're so tired of this silly Heatwave. The mercury is hitting 1C and my forehead is dripping in sweat. At least it'll help bikini sales.

The cabinet. Oh. The corner cabinet was stripped right off the wall (with dignity) yesterday by Carpenter and it is sitting now in his workshop awaiting amputation. I sent him photos of a Bamboozey X-Mas gift that I got from Santa this year and he's been instructed to copy it to the T, I mean L.

Which reminds me Plllog, I better get the special hinges first before ordering the 2 extra doors since the hinge position may be different from the standard Euro hinge holes on all the other doors.

Missy-any conclusion on the DW move to the right side? What about the window $$ or dare I ask?

Stef-Is that you at Target-Houston picking up some sun tan lotion for the coming heatwave?

BTW, some people prefer two doors that meet in the middle. I think the center edges are trimmed on the diagonal or something to make them operate smoothly.

The deluge has begun and evacuations are mandatory. Flash floods are occurring in burn zones, and the mud is flowing a couple of feet deep. And this is just the first of three storms this week, and isn't supposed to be the biggest one. UGH. I hope it doesn't rain in Haiti. This is their dry season, right?

YeeeeHAW!! We had an hour of blue skies and sun. Long enough to go to the post box, even though it's a holiday. The doom is returning, however. There's water in the garage like three normal days' rains' worth.

Latest calculation has it at 36 Yellow Talavera's needed--->40 with allowance for breakage. That would get the Hopping Froggy and wrap around the corner in Yellows. But WAIT, there's more! 24 1/4 rounds Yellow, not sure if I should order Blue as well.

Also, not sure if we need the Guadalajaras on the wrap around section too. Whadya think huh?

Will go to the Kohler Design Centre tomorrow for sample chip of the Cobalt Cast iron to photograph for you, just to be absolutely sure that it can't be used.

Ordered the 2 extra doors and hinges for the PAL.

Tried to go to the the BIG City for the Milk paint but they have this bizarre by appointment only policy of hours. I mean please, this isn't De Beers The Diamond Monopoly were talking. WHOOPS hope my little AMY didn't hear the dreaded D-word!

I don't get the slide show. Nice song. But why so sad? Did you have a fight with Amy? And surely you can get Canadian diamonds without going through DeBeers?

Mine? Rain.

Re the froggy, I guess I'm kind of disappointed. You're really going for the restrained and tasteful, huh? No tiled sink. No double barreled scatter shot multiple patterns, not even a lace mantilla. Sigh. I mean, it'll still be bright. Especially if you do the green trim, it'll even be colorful. But it could have been so much more. Ah, well. You can take the Canadian to Mexico...

The American Standard look much more like the right cobalt color than the Kohler, but it's worth a final try. The other one isn't the real deal.

So apparently, it's pouring buckets tomorrow, then we're having a new storm Wednesday, and another Thursday. My head hurts.

This kind of series of storms isn't really unusual for an El Niño year. It's just the violence in series that's so distressing. And coming off drought and burn it, as usual, means for lots of debris floes and landslides. Days, and sometimes weeks, after the rain stops, the hillsides can give way. Which is why I say don't live on hillsides! Though the best hill houses are built on stilts with caissons into the bedrock.

We're due for lightning later. Not common around here, though we usually get a few electrical storms per year.

So I have a free day, but it's already raining and much as I'd like to go out, there's no going out. Looks like a good day to curl up and read a book. Too dark for much of anything else.

I know people lived where you and Missy do, and much farther North than that, long before electric light. Spermaceti oil was very expensive--rightly so!! So did they just live in the dark? Russia and Sweden have such high SAD rates even now with artificial light. Gauguin had the right idea.

O dear, plllog, was that BOOM! a thunderboomer? I hope you're ok. Do you ever lose power in storms? We get tons of t-storms up here in the summer. I rather enjoy them. :o) I'm sorry to hear of all your rain. As you say, between rain, drought, and fire, your area doesn't sound very hospitable.

I think before electricity, people spent a lot of time sleeping up here in the wintertime. I guess for things that had to be done early morning or late, they would have used candles or lanterns. We are not as far North as many folks. It's not too bad here now for daylight hours. We're light pretty much from 9 am till 6 pm at this time of year. Our summer evenings are wonderful - it stays light often till 11 or later (further North). It's wonderful walking in the late evenings. :o) Too bad we can't store sunlight in the summer to use in the winter!

I went to IKEA today and exchanged 2 24" bases for one 36" and one 12". The DW will go to the right of the sink, then the 36" to the right of the DW. The garbage will be directly to the left of the sink, with another 12" to the left of it. I figured if it's too awkward to upload to the cupboards/drawers beside the DW I can put the dishes in the island drawers.

O, I should add that Calgary is noted as the city in Canada with the *most sunny days in a year (333 of 365 are sunny). We lived in the West Coast for awhile and had to move back here, as we couldn't take all the gloom and the rain. My SAD symptoms were WAY worse out there. At least here, even though the days are short (and cold in the winter), usually the sun shines. :o)

*disclaimer of googling the info, although I have always been told that Southern AB is the sunniest area in Canada

Cloud burst, with thunder, yes. They've canceled the tornado warning, and most of this round has pretty well pushed past where I am. It's now wrecking havoc to the East. As I said before, I'm fine where I am, though the flood in the garage has surely risen. And we don't generally lose power unless there's a direct hit somewhere.

The thing about the area is that what happens at the edges really affects the rest of us. Where I am we don't get wildfires, landslides and floods (not to borrow trouble--anything can happen to anyone, but it's not expected here). Drought is for everyone though ;)

Missy, I've experienced your summer t-storms. Very different kind of thing :) I've tented in similar storms in Wyoming too, and as you say, they're rather nice. I can't imaging sleeping away the Winter, though. The sun is coming out now, and one could conceive of going out to play.

And Missy the Sun Girl, you're getting a BIG low priced window and nice place for the Dishwasher and thank goodness you axed the 2 angled corner cabinets. We are now part of the Pepsi- I mean L, Generation. Hey, we could be known one day as Generation L. Or the L-ers.

I didn't realize your Alberta was so sun oriented. But it is a handful in frigidness. Hey Plllog did you know Calgary sometimes gets snow in the Summer, like July. It's humorous, well maybe not for them.

Plllog, I'm glad you're dry, but how's your head? Sounds like there was quite the sonic BOOM. Was it a whole house and window vibrator? We get those in the Summer actually.

Missy surprised I missed you, I was at IKEA for dinner tonight, the Stuffed Salmon. Yes it was farmed, and no I won't have anymore for at least one month so that my body can cleanse the antibiotics and toxic Hormones that it was loaded with. Shame on me for supporting the Salmon Aquaculture industry.

Had lunch at Chipotle in TO!! The only one here in Canada so far. Again, packed. Chipotle, the Whole Foods of Casual Dining. Amazing.

OK dig in Artistas!

The White isn't great compared to the Guadalajara. Will go back for a Biscuit Kohler sample maybe.

But the headache is gone because it's continuous rain with no shift in the pressure. It's the coming low that creates the biggest headache. But that's not counting whatever might be flooded out back or in the garage. There's nothing I can do about it anyway, so I'm ignoring it.

I've retreated to bed where it's more or less warm. It's a real gullywasher.

The slug looks pretty good on the iPhone. In the beauty shots it looked lighter and purpler. In your home shots the v cap looks lighter than the enamel. I think it could work with the yellow quarter round.

And I think the white would look fine, though not interesting, with the blue quarter round.

plllog - I've been hearing all the news about the rain. Glad to hear you're out of the flood/slide zone.

Missy, great going on the kitchen progress. It's a good choice to move the dishwasher.

Even though the Kohler blue isn't an exact match, it looks good and should work. The blue adds more color impact. The white works, but would blend in more. It sounds like you have a workable solution for the cabinets and you do need all the space you can get.

Welcome back Steff! Hope you got lots done at the house in Houston. Do they really wear Cowboy Hats and Boots? I remember Bum Phillips of the Houston Oilers and he really wore the hat and boots set up.

So you like the Cobalt Blue swatch huh? I know so much has to do with Monitor calibration and if you are really seeing what I see. Plllog's right. The Kohler chip is Purplish. I'm giving this a second look just because it would certainly add Bling. But I also don't want to do the wrong thing in the Rules of Matching.

Yeah, the corner cabinet is funny. I kid you not but the room looks much bigger. And when you go to that corner, you can actually use the counter work top since that angled corner is not in your face. The change was so simple since no cabinets were purchased and none wasted! Carpenter will just cut the angled corner out with an L. Ikea girl was quick to remind me of no warranty on that cabinet but guess what? It was already notched out for the pipes.

Plllog we're waiting until you get off that 320x240 res iPhone and onto your Monitor to see the color resolution at 1680x1024.

WTF!! Solman, I didn't mention the painted sinks before because they seemed outside of your parameters of budget and practicality, but it's cute, huh? But WTF???? That faucet is a great match for el hombre de los huevos de latón! It looks like what they used to call a "convenience". Preplumbing. With the handle for the ladies' maid to hold it under the billowing skirt. OY!!!!

I know that my iPhone doesn't have great color rendition, but it was right on to my well calibrated computer with the cobalt slug. But the lighting in your photos is making the v-cap look purple, which it never did before. They look pretty good together in the last smaller picture.

I don't think it'll be awful. Not sure if it'll be wonderful. Do you think you like the look? Returning is probably not an option for the special order.

Well well, I see the faucet find had an impact indeed. You certainly would need the Huevos de Laton to pull that off, or more correctly said, for me to pull it off!

Funny, when I priced the dazzly Kohler sink at the Kohler Design Centre it was an automatic $3,000 full List of course. And here they're selling it online at the Depot for $1,100. Still big bucks. Hey do you think we can can sue Kohler for design infringement? I mean it's like our Talavera Tiled Sink Masterpiece that I didn't have the Huevos to do.

Good to know about the accuracy of the iPhone. Maybe they don't need to go OLED in June for iPhone 4.0. Correction they do need to. That's what keeps Business going. Obsolescence. Or as I call it, Phone Rot.

Do you think you like the look? Returning is probably not an option for the special order.

No question I like the Blue, always did. The White would be a serious lulling
Bor-Rama settle for. Now, returning huh? Actually if ordered from Lowe's, it can be done. I did it with the Black acrylic sink special order and they were easy about it.

Took this photo at IKEA last night. 30 inch oven under 30 inch cooktop.

Now I noticed a strange thing. Would it bother you? The bottom of the oven door has these funny grilly things sticking out or visible. You don't usually see that in Wall Ovens. On the way home I had time to think about it:, lots of time, like an hour and a half to be exact.

Most Wall Oven store displays have the oven kind of sticking out from the cabinet maybe one inch. I think if you looked at the bottom of the oven door, there's probably some vent/grilly thing there. The IKEA design is unique. First the entire front face is 2 sheets of White glass, not painted metal like all other White Ovens on the market. This makes for the nice super flush fitting look to the cabinet. Or as the Kitchen Design girl said, a nice transparent look that just blends in to the cabinet not glaring out like White painted Steel. That "look" helps us not make the massive oven Glare out under the Creamish Mexican White in the Mural, maybe.

But would the metal grillies bother you?

Pro's

Slimmer flush fit to cabinet
Glass front more transparent, literally.

Con

Is Stainless grilly strange visually?
Will grilly hit your ankles while cooking and will it get banged up since you are always working the cooktop?

Funny the 24 inch has no such nonsense. Could be because the 30 inch has Pyrolytic function and that needs exhaust vents when working.

Do you like it's looks? If I remember most of the Whirlpools, Kenmore's etc. have fat White handles.

Actually MOW had to hang low. I was all psyched up for lunch yesterday at THE hot new Japanese Restaurant in Downtown TO. There was a write up in the Toronto Star and the Food Critic gave it high marks.

So, when I got down there, starving for lunch at 5 PM, I...couldn't find the place. Yup, I forgot the newspaper article at home on the Washing Machine. So, there I was, a wandering, hungry, Country Dog, wondering where my next meal would come from. That's when I went to Plan B and asked someone where Chipotle was. Considering the $CDN is almost at par, bad deal. See you in Buffalo Chipotle, luckily next door to Lowe's.

Now if I had that funky iPhone, I could have gone to Toronto Star online-Food Section-Reviews-Name and Address. Or could've typed the Pertinent data into the phone. Actually, I'm sure There's an App for that!".

Does the grilly thing actually stick out? If so, that's a major con. If it's also flush it's not going to bang your ankles any worse than a cabinet would.

I think an under counter oven is much better if it's flush. The whole thing started in Europe because of the itty bitty kitchens, where previously there was only a hotplate, and wanting to put in an oven of some kind anywhere it could be made to fit. Then it became a Look. And a necessity with induction until the ranges came out last year. And the ranges are expensive and far between.

You remember Bum Phillips? You must be quite the NFL fan as he retired in the 80's. You will see lots of boots and hats in any Texas city, but they are more often found here in San Antonio than Houston.

That faucet? plllog said it very well.

I like the oven at IKEA, the Frigidaire reminds me of 20 year old GE model I just replaced.

When you go to the IKEA.ca for this oven, no stainless grillies shown. That's NOT fair.

But yes it does look cute. The 2 dials are like a Smiley's eyes and the handle the mouth. Straight smile.

I liked that the handle was also not too protruding. The Frigidaire curved handle seems like it would jab my crotch while inductioning. The Oven under a cooktop for that and reaching reasons is not ideal but, I have no choice... this time.

Also, I've got that $800 IKEA voucher burning a hole in my pocket so rather than hassle of trying to sell it, maybe I can just use it for this baby?

But, does the look of the grillies really look that bad or am I being to girly, I mean grilly?

Stef,- Every time I see your Kitchen photo I really get a nice feeling for the layout. It just seems cosy and well planned.

By the way, I took note at IKEA again yesterday. The Milk Paint look is growing by the day. They now have a Bluish Wardrobe in Milk look, grain faintly showing. They have a White Milk Dresser. And a really cool funky Yellow Milk Dresser. Listen to ME. I've really got a thing for Yellow.

Cozy is exactly where I'm going with the updates. The Saltillo tile is staying and the backsplash will be slate. I have selected a granite counter but keep looking for other options. The cabinets will be painted gray/green. Everything is being repurposed, sold (cheap) on Craigslist, or given away. I'm looking for vintage lanterns to use as lighting to replace the light box.

And, yes, those pictures I posted last week are my real backyard. Here's another cozy view.

Well, that's it. If transparent milk paint is at Ikea, it's done. Put a fork in it and carve, because it is so five minutes ago.

There was a great billboard for the New Beetle, though it was a blue one. "Drive it? Hug it?" Because it looks so much more like a cuddly toy than a real car. So was this before or after the sports car?

Steff, glad one of us is warm!! And I like Summer, though I suppose you have humidity. I'm thinking of looking for the flannel pillow cases I had when I was abroad and had no heat...

Good news about the house!

Seen on a T-shirt:
Non sequiturs are like bicycles.
They don't bathe.

Lots of appliances have grill thingies. It actually shows a little on the web if you look for it. I think the problem isn't the grillie thingie, but the lack of a trim strip at the bottom to keep it from just hanging out there.

Very nice Steff. Thanks for the snap. Yes like your mandate on the reclaims. Actually it's very eco and Green to do so. Congratulations. I admire you.

Seriously that backyard view is amazing. It seems like a Bird watching mecca. I already saw the Deers. I seemed surprised by your first photo since I think I was imagining an open field Ranch with no trees. Maybe that's from Tex and the image I had of her place. Speaking of, Hi Tex ;;;;WAVE.

By the way, My lot doesn't hold a candle to your's but it is the wildest Country that any animals can get in a City lot. So, I attract Blue Jays, Cardinals, my family of Squirrels, and the neighborhood cats who all come to my backyard pond for thirst quenchers. It's actually fun to watch; like a car intersection sometimes. I just pity the fish since none of these guys ever asks them if it's OK to come in.

There was a great billboard for the New Beetle, though it was a blue one. "Drive it? Hug it?" Because it looks so much more like a cuddly toy than a real car. So was this before or after the sports car?

HAH! I've got the answer for you. First, WHY a Yellow Beetle? Every time my German Ex came to Canada and we saw a Yellow Beetle, she used to just squeal with excitement. I always wondered if just the thought of a Yellow Beetle got her that excited, what would she do if she actually had one? So, one day I decided to hunt one down and bought it. Imagine her face when I picked her up on her next arrival at Toronto Int'l. The story gets better...

The next time I went to Mexico, I told my same (cooktop comment) friend what I bought and he said " What? that is the ugliest stupid thing I have ever seen" Compared to the Original Beetle, that was an understatement.

Upon returning to Canada, I quickly released it.

Justification Story: Well Honey, the double insurance was too much.

Beetle gone.

And no, you NEVER see a man driving THAT. It's just too cutesy or ugly depending on how you word it.

Yes it was after my Ford GT Probe Sports Car. But the Beetle was Sportier I think. Until I drive a 911 (the Earth's most beautiful Automobile creation) SIGH, then I can say I had a proper Sports Car. Or I like the Buddhist mantra that you don't really have to own anything, you can just admire through others. And that's much cheaper than $85,000!

P.S. The good thing that came out of the Beetle was much deeper Love (just kidding). No, really it was the beginning for my love for Diesel engines. It's like driving a Rocket and is the most money saving fuel efficient technology. Yes more than gas-electric hybrids. Volkswagen TDI, breathtaking.

ROTFL!!!! I've heard of come and see my etchings, and green M&Ms, but the yellow beetle approach is a new one on me.

I don't drive well enough to drive a 911. Can't get the most out of it. Also poor cars for necking. Really bad off road. Rowing the shifter in town. All yours!

Back in the '70's a friend of a friend was a mechanic. Someone brought in a totalled 911, from which he salvaged the engine for himself. He had an old beater of an old bug, with the mismatched fenders and all. I think there was even baling wire. He figured they had the same mommy and daddy so he'd put the Porsche engine in the bug. Unlike the most people who did similar things, he didn't want to take off the engine cover and chop down the bodywork. Instead, he just took out the back seat. Of course, the whole point of this is that that was back in the days when street racing was possible. He liked to race for pinks. :)

Cute story it was. A 65 or more year old lady called me one evening asking if 'it' was available and could be viewed. We made arrangements, she came by, and took it! But a slight problem, she didn't drive stick and needed her son to pick it up for her. She innocently confided in me that her entire life she had dreamed of owning a Beetle as her last car. So sweet. But inside I muttered, too bad you ended up with this thing which doesn't hold a candle to the real Beetle.

I don't drive well enough to drive a 911. Can't get the most out of it.

No no Plllog!!! Quite the contrary.

My favorite Canadian Automotive Journalist, Jim Kenzie, put it so nicely in his Best Cars of the Decade story. The Porsche Boxster, the 911's Baby Brother.
And I quote" The Boxster is such a magnificent ride that it will make any driver believe that they are the next coming of Micheal Schumaccher".

And it is sexy, especially for the Southern California Sun Gods/Godesses.

LOL! on racing for Pinks with the 911 engine. Quite the character, wish I could've met him, with the Pinks.

Oh oh, my Mommy's coming up the stairs and I'm not in my PJ's so I better go beddy byes; or else I'm in for it. I could go under the sheets and tap, after Jan 27 that is, when Mr. Jobs let's us have it.

Ah, but you see my Porsche experience is from the halcyon days of necking. Not fun.

And never, ever, ever in a boxster!! I don't care what your review guy says about it. It's a watered down, heavy assed car for (female) real estate agents and wannabe TV presenters. One is not seen in a boxster. But, yes, I drive well enough for the POS.

But being a city dweller I don't drive stick--not the thing for slow and go traffic. So my mom never taught me to speed shift well enough for drag racing. So I really can't get the best out of a 911. And don't have the patience to go out to the desert with the guys to let 'em loose.

Will wonders never cease! Porsche has finally found a way to admit that automatic transmissions are mechanically superior to standards. Nevertheless, no purist is going to fall for that line. :)

BTW, men all across the Southwest wear boots and Stetsons with their big silver buckles and bolo ties. Standard apparel. Nothing to get excited about. Girls wear cowboy boots with short, flouncy skirts too. And horse people wear cowboy boots for riding. Lots more cowboy boots than cowboys.

Last night was squalls, including some big booms and intense rain. Probably hail, too. And lots of wind. At the top of the knoll here we get wurthering, but last night there were also gusts. Like those pictures of trumpeter cheeked Wind puffing. One of them shook the house like an earthquake! At least the window held this time. There are supposed to be some more squalls today but I think most of it has blown past me by now. Still haven't gone outside to see the full extent of the damage. One good part of being still mid-kitchen is that my GC's guys are going to fix things up. The electrician is coming today, but the crew aren't coming until Monday. I hope some of the bougainvillea can be saved.

Sounds like things got really bad for you last night. I saw some of the damage on the news and it looks like the worst in years. Glad you got through it okay and hope the bougainvillea will grow back for you. I think ours in Houston is probably gone due to cold, it was at least 8'x10' and a great bloomer. They are beautiful but a real mess to remove.

Wow that sounds like a Universal Studio movie set for a, stranded at sea, Pirate ship. But how's your head, dare I ask?

Felt like an earthquake! You weren't kidding when you said the big storm is coming this week. All the past stuff was just a teaser. Now I'm hoping the residual damage is non existent like the bougainvillea. That reminds me, my fallen 12 foot eavestrough is lying on the ground outside my kitchen window and on a nice flower bush. I better move it and hope the bush has not been destroyed. And call an eavestrough company to put a new one up there.

On the news last night they talked about a HUGE downpour of about 12 inches rain coming Sunday! Plllog you didn't by chance send a Parcel to Ontario did you?

Did the Lowe's trip last night. US Customs, the guy was as nice as Pie. He asked me one question, where I was going, and then goodbye. Or did he mean Good Buy.

So, got into Lowe's, tried to buy the sink in Cobalt but none of the "Plumbing" staff were there at 8 PM and my clerk couldn't work the computer for special orders. GULP. But I did walk out with the new LED light strips that have finally come in. Ultra slim and BRIGHT and crisp like Halogens.

Before I left, I called the manufacturer and got the Lumens Output and Kelvin temp. It fires at 2700 Kelvin which is perfect Soft White territory and like the GE Reveal Halogen bulb which I love. I also bought a "tester" new LED Par 20 recessed bulb at a whopping $35!! and noticed something interesting. It was firing at 3500 K and made the Yellow Talaveras go Greenish. Last weekend I also tried a 4,200 Kelvin LED Bulb that made them even more Green.. 5,000 Kelvin is Natural Daylight.

Back to this fixture, it is ultra thin and very bright in it's light output. Clearly brighter than even the Xenons on the display, which are a dim Yellow and dimmer than when I saw them last December.

Talked to a guy from an online lighting place and he mentioned that LED technology is multiplying by the hour. There are 4,000 manufacturers in America alone. A Standard has just been reached so that all manufacturers will have to comply to the same numbers and we consumers can finally compare products. The Standard must be met by August 2010. Thank god for Standards because right now every claim in the book is being made. A GE LED Bulb I bought claims 20,000 hours. A Phillips claims 40,000 hours. This guy said by the end of the Summer, the $35 bulbs will be $10 bulbs and only a handful of big manufacturers will be left. It's moving that fast. The 1st Gen LED strip Lowe's has on the display is a comical dim, Blue, Thing.

Oh the good news! I bumped into Amy and asked her out for Dinner to, you guessed it, Chipotle Mexican Grill. I was a little nervous about taking her there because in Buffalo right now it is trendy and packed.
After dinner, we were just about to neck in the Parking Lot when she looked in my eyes and said "You know, I LOVE... your Burrito! " ;;;; BLUSH. And you know my reply, "I LOVE... your Tamales."

I mean the way you're tucked into that forest and all those trees, you look invincible.

Oh, just remembered, did you get that heat wave?

By the way, I just saw an ad for a cheap flight to Cuba for $50 plus taxes; and tears started running down my cheeks. Next Wednesday is my first ever Yoga retreat, for 4 days. Since I heard about it at X-Mas, I have dedicated to attending. Even Beach, Sun, Sand, and Bikinis, mine of course, ;) couldn't tempt me. Or could they?

Plllog- On the News last night the guy actually said "and California Oceanfront homes that are no longer!" This is BAD stuff. The camera actually showed the crumbling hillside/mudslide. What do you do when you buy one of those houses? Say to your yourself, let's enjoy while it's here?

Is that like around the corner from you? How many minutes by walking on foot?

And here we Ice Worshippers thought you Sun Worshippers were living in a bed of Roses.

The first bougainvillea actually came down Monday, when we had that really fast rain that brought an inch of water, but it arched over the door and met the second one, so I don't know if it pulled its mate down, or if they both just fell. the trellises are pulled right out of the wall. So far, I've just looked down from the bathroom window.

Now it's pouring again but I know the electrician is here because he just set off the alarm.

There are big trees down all over the place. We've had four inches of rain in as many days. In desert

... Okay. Contractor just left. The bougainvilleas can be saved! He's sending a crew tomorrow to wire them up and trim them back to 9'. Apparently the second one is just bent because the trellis gave way, but isn't out of the planter. The arch will go, but that grows back fast. It's still pouring, and I haven't checked the garage or the storeroom. But now they're saying there's more rain coming this weekend! ...

Anyway, in desert the ground does absorb water very fast, and our moister soil is natural adobe. Sticky. High hydrocarbon content. Dense. Goes right from have to cut it to move it to liquifaction. Ugh!

Re your forcast, I don't know if our weather gets as far north as you, but it does move East. I think Monday's storm was heading to the Rockies. If it made it past them, it might be to you by Sunday. Though they've just shown the flash flooding in Phoenix, which would mean that it's not all that northerly. Now the politician's are yawping about the rain. Money for services is important, but the press conferences make me laugh.

Glad the LED's are working out so well for you. Sounds a lot like what I have. My fluorescents are sheathed to be at 2700 K too, but it's washy light, not crisp, of course. Very easy on the eyes. The Xenons might have been old. Don't they yellow with age the way halogens do? 5000 K might be natural daylight where you live. Someone said that here it's 6500 K. But 2700 is sunshine! That's what we like! It does mess with colors, though.

I'm glad you had fun with Amy...but doesn't she melt if you take her into a restaurant? I'm not so happy with her at the moment. She put way too much sugar in the oatmeal. Bleech! Who puts sugar in oatmeal?

It's loudly pouring again. Maybe I'll go back to bed...

Oh...that would be the pea sized hail. Nice white blanket of ice on the grass. I bet the roses are loving it, but they're going to get really confused when it warms back up again.

Yes to living in a bed of roses. I think I have at least 40 rosebushes. I'm coastal, not beachfront. The weather at the beach is yucky and grim. A few miles inland is vastly superior. I think I'm about 5 miles to the beach.

They just showed the radar map over my house talking about "urban flooding", meaning streets. Not surprising since a lot of the major streets were originally runoff courses.

Did I mention

BOOM!?

People used to have more sense than to live on a coastal cliff. The old Malibu Colony and area used to be beach shacks. Every 10-20 years they'd wash out and get rebuilt. No biggie. But then we got no fault divorce in the 1960's. The women kept the house and the men got the beach house. And started making them fancy and full of expensive art. And it's just dumb. There are a few places on the beach that are really safe, and I think most of them are entirely limited by the public interest, so people build on the cliffs. Stupid. And in the canyons. Stupider. One can't deny emergency services to idiots, but I think we should charge them. When they have floods in Missouri and you hear about people living in the flood plain, it's always poor folks who can't afford better. I feel for them. Not so much for millionaires who can afford better, but can't be bothered to live in a superior place.

Oh my, that is crazy weather. Glad the bougainvillea can be saved. They do grow very fast.

Just hope there are no earthquakes right now.

We are having beautiful weather here. Those trees were a major selling point and predate the house which was custom designed to fit within them.

Thanks Solman, that's really good info on the LEDs. I really want to switch out the greenish, humming fluorescent lights under my cabinets but don't want to make things worse. I've been looking for plugmold with switches to move all the outlets up off the backsplash, but think it has to be special ordered.

Have you tried Grainger for the hinges? Of course, everyone tells you no problem until they are standing there with stuff pulled apart.

plllog, I'm glad to hear you're ok, and that your bougainvillea can be saved! I am sorry that you're getting such crappy weather. It's been cool and very foggy here, but not bad for temps or snow or anything. I am grateful.

Steff, have you tried cutting back the bougainvillea? It's really hard to kill an established one. It might just be the tips that got hit.

So Swift Water Rescue have been practicing on a poor ol' german shepherd who was in the river (you know, the place where Robert Patrick chases Schwarzenegger and the kid, truck vs. mini-bike in T2). River's full just now. And dangerous. And the heroic firefighter got bit for his efforts. But they put the dog in the paramedic truck and took him to animal control or something to get warmed up and checked out. Hopefully, they'll find his people.

So it'll be a few days before we can be sure nothing will slide. And we have more rain coming next week.

Solman went all the way to the BIG city for your Medis. Poor thing, and your tender little head. All those Carlos Santana Concerts at the LA Coliseum and the night clubbing in West LA has really taken it's toll. We just have to pretend that these silly BOOMS are just drum solos. Yeah drum solos.

OK back to the medis. I wanted to do something a bit special this time. Any MOW can walk into a Pharmacy and buy a bottle of Advil, (and let the giant Pharmeceuticals pile up obscene profits), so for you, Mon Cheri, we have only the best. Chinese Herbal!

I picked up some mushrooms and roots of qiang huo, du huo, and chuan xiong for your Wind Dampness Pattern-aggravation of symptoms by damp weather.

So we're gonna boil these little morsels up for two hours and make a nice little yummy soup for you so you can open wide and take a big gulp. Now wasn't that a whole lot better than pill popping?

And tomorrow morning you'll be California Dreaming and everything will be OK.

Oh, gross!!! No dirty musty questionable herbaceous borders for me!! Not only is the dosing unreliable, there's no way to know if there's an allergen or paraquat. Thanks anyway. BTW, I owe my life to giant pharmaceuticals so don't dis them!!

What is MOW, anyway?

Thanks for the hug, Missy! I wouldn't have brought it up if not for Solman's banter. It's just the basic changing air pressure sore head. And don't tell Solman, but I didn't do anything about it but hot Cuban veg dinner and early bed. Where it's warm. Now that there's no cover of clouds we have the coldest night of the year.

Roger the 'rescue' info, Solman. If anyone calls, I'll back you up. :o)

You're welcome for the hug plllog, I did know it was banter, but sometimes just knowing someone cares can help. I do feel so sorry for folks that suffer from pressure change headaches. There really is nothing you can do to prevent them!

Thanks, Steff, I know a lot of eBay sellers will send to Canada, but none of them have listed the lights I want.

I was all set to put wonderful amberish pendants in my kitchen, then we decided to switch to white cabs instead of wood. I returned the amber pendants, and while I was at the store, kinda fell in love with some oldish looking lights from Hudson Valley. I love holophane - always have. I have an old one in my LR that is among my 'favourite things'. I found the lights much cheaper online and have emailed the site and asked how much to ship here to Canada, but haven't heard back yet. (the 1-800 # doesn't work from here either)

While I was at the store I also found a fantastic similar holophane 5 light chandelier for an unreal price (reduced from $750 to $150) that I am thinking of putting over my island. Do you think that would be tacky? I don't know if I've ever seen a chandelier over an island.

Missy, if course you can put a chandelier over the island. People do. It just has to be the right scale. I.e., not too big or too long, and unlike over a formal dining table, it shouldn't fill up the view. If you can easily see around it through the wonderful new window you're good.

Chandeliers look good over islands and there have been quite a few posts with them in the past. You see them a lot in Old World style. It's a great idea and you also get more light than you would with many pendants. With your expressed need for light halophane is a great idea too. Since you have them already, you are used to the patterns they make.

I went to the Finished Kitchens Blog and found this one right off. I'm sure there are more, just run the slideshow because they don't have a category for chandeliers.

And not just our Rain Drenchee in LA, but Missy's aching for some extra light too. What? with the 335 days of sun and that MASSIVE window on the way? Oh right, it's for night time activity.

Plllog, shame on you. I found your Chinese herbal soup remedy this morning floating in the Garage in a sealed Tupperware container. I was hoping we wouldn't have to tie you down for future doses but looks like we're going to have to.

Pharmaceutical Companies

OK, I see we've struck a chord. Several years ago, I was in a Pub sitting with a brilliant Doctor friend of mine (in Haiti right now with Doctors Sans Frontiers) and he asked me, Do you know what the difference between Western Medicine and Eastern Medicine is? Western medicine is developed to treat Disease. Eastern medicine is developed to keep the body At Ease.

Ask yourself, how can poor Rural people worldwide in India, Nepal, Myanmar, Peru, Africa, China etc. live healthy lives relative to the big rich Western nations? Even today they use a simplistic model of Doctors roaming the countryside. The Doctor literally lives in your house! For maybe a week or more, he observes all the members, their ailments, and then prepares remedies or suggests simple life changes based on your actual daily life. After he leaves your house, he moves onto the next. His reputation rests on his shoulders. If he is bad, the entire village will be informed by word of mouth and no one will ever allow him to serve. This doctor appears almost monthly or whatever his schedule and can also come for emergency.

My "dissing" the Pharmaceutical companies has some merit. But, it is also the North American (includes British) Medical System at blame, which they unfortunately control. Our system is based on Disease and symptomatic treatment instead of the cause. This works into their hands because once Disease strikes, you are ultimately a victim to it an their "super" drugs can "shield" you from it, as long as you continue to take them.

And how does it make you feel knowing that your Doctor gets huge Spiffs from these Giants for pushing their drugs? We've all seen it on 60 minutes. It's not a secret. His motive is not necessarily your health. It's $$$.

Change page. Germany. As a Canadian, coming from a very high standard of FREE Medical Care, we don't hold a candle to Germany. I have been in German Hospitals that make ours look like Dirty playgrounds. My German Ex found it comical! Their Apotheke's (Pharmacies) are world class masterpieces. Trained Pharmacists will guide and consult you in the Naturopathic Remedy prior to giving you the "Novartis Special." That is good awareness to natural health. And I don't have to go near the German record of healthiness as they are the true pioneers of Healthy Living. Think Birkenstocks, Wasa Bread, Weleda Cosmetics, etc. etc. Interesting enough, Germans are also the #1 Western visitors to India for the practice of Ayurveda and Yoga.

Which takes me to one last thing. Years ago, I was a "pill popper" of Vitamins. Then one day, I was opening a Litre of milk and at the top of the spout was their words of wisdom, "Let Food Be Your Medicine". I digested those words and to this day have never taken a Vitamin supplement.

P.S. I guess I didn't mention the GMO seeds that lovely "Angel Monsanto" has spread into the Third World (correction The World) so that Farmers MUST rely on and buy only those. And heaven forbid what the Frankenfoods that those seeds produce will do to the coming generations of man.

When I arrived there last night, it looked like X-Mas. The parking lot was packed
all the way to the back!

So, in we go to the Restaurant, yes told you about the disgusting Batter and Chips or as it says, Haddock and Chips on the menu.

While inking the Oven order, I asked the lady a few sales questions.

Gas vs Electric Cooktops- No comparison, "People love Gas", 8 out of 10 cooktops sales are Gas. Nothing to panic about, since the alternative to Gas is non existent when looking at regular Ceran. And virtually no one has Induction to date in this Country.

Oven size-Again no comparison. 9 out of 10 sales 30 inch. When I told her that I switched up from a 24 and the Mural size above was 38, I kid you not Plllog her exact words, "The inverted Triangle of a 24 inch
would drive me nuts".

On Induction-The one I got is just Induction. Not "true" European induction. All the people that come in said they saw no difference in performance just like Consumer Reports. Induction period is just great. Missy, haven't I heard that before? Too bad I'll never use it for cooking Lasagna.

On Checkouts- The Cashier said I was a funny guy and make her laugh. Oh.

Missy- I do like that example from Stef's link. It's quite different from your choice but nice.

Stef-I almost forgot. I want switches under the cabinets with the Plugmold too. FYI I did see all that stuff at Home Depot. I didn't study it deeply, but will do so. There were switches and stuff for sure.

Plllog-thanks for the Hinge find. I did pick the hinges up last night in the name of giving to Carpenter today. And yes, he didn't show up. Go figure! Then I got a morning message that said I tried to cut the L in the cabinet with a jigsaw but didn't quite look good. GRRRR;;;;; That's MY cabinet you're carving I mean practicing on.

Pffffffttttt! Nasty herb glop man!!! Send a man out for Advil and he brings back musty yuckiness that he makes even worse by turning it into a soup, and then he wonders why you don't pat him on the head and tell him he's a good boy? Typical male.

I didn't say that pharmaceutical companies are unalloyed angels of mercy. In fact, I think we need to make all of American health care not for profit. There should be some monetary incentives for the hands on inventors and healers, but not for stockholders. That would get rid of a whole lot of the weirdness---take money out of it and leave the scientists and healers alone.

On the other hand, I would be long dead in one of your rural villages. I am not a pill popper. In fact, I avoid it as much as possible. And I find it hysterical that Whole Foods doesn't allow GMO's and additives and all that but sells tons of additives of the vitamin and partial food variety. People eat brewer's yeast and gluten, and take yeast killers and anti-glutens, they eat amino acids, and vitamins but won't take any dairy which has those things as part of unadulterated food. But to each his own neuroses.

Regarding "cures", most of the homeopathic ones are placebos. Most mild ailments in healthy, clean, warm people will just go away if they have decent immune systems. If it makes them feel better to take something, these are harmless. And simple remedies that cause a little inconvenience are superior to pharmaceutical remedies. For instance, I've heard time and again that vaporub will kill toe fungus (something I've fortunately never encountered myself). The jelly starves it for oxygen. I think the aromatics do something too. But then you also have to have gunky toes and keep them well aired and otherwise dry too, which isn't convenient, and is potentially embarrassing, especially to guys, so people take poison in pill form for weeks, which doesn't work as well and is bad for them but easier.

BUT, while willowbark tea is "natural", an aspirin tablet will give you a much better controlled dose of exactly the same thing, without the pollutants and other potential nasties. And while an onion poultice is very useful for a respiratory infection, its efficacy is limited, and without modern medicine, if one gets past the crisis, the recovery time is a minimum of six months.

The reason those poor villagers are so healthy is that without public health, cures, etc., over the last several hundred years that health has improved in the Western world, they've been culling the herds. Those with good luck and good immune systems live. The rest don't. Makes for healthy children.

I come from a culture that values intelligence more than physical robustness. As a whole we tend to have more diseases. And more inventors of cures. I value my life and those of my relatives and neighbors, and so refuse to believe we'd be better off if we'd been left to die aborning. So we have diseases, and we cure them, and we make advances in other fields. And if that doesn't please you and your German friends you're welcome to disregard us, as long as you leave us alone.

:::snicker::: Oh! Mow! Blame the iPhone! It "corrects" as you type, which is a convenient way to get apostrophes into common contractions, but sometimes it slips in a weirdie that goes by unnoticed. You can't touch type on screen, so there isn't a lot of looking at the message, and there are more difficulties with Preview. That word was supposed to be "Maybe". When you first said "This is Mow" I thought you were talking about the oven. Especially with your absurdist style it's not always easy to know when something is off and when you kept repeating it I thought it was just that. But then it didn't even make absurdist sense, and since you all capped I looked it up and Meals on Wheels seemed to make sense--until it didn't. And the closest I could find was Man Or Woman, but that still didn't really make sense so I thought I'd better ask, since I was pretty sure it wasn't the oven by now.

Well you did strike a chord and I see I need to explain a bit more. Just over four years ago my husband was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia. We were thrilled to learn that there is a pill that puts it into remission in 87% of cases. This eliminates the need for bone marrow transplant which is very hard on the patient and roughly half as effective. Within six months he was in remission and remains there now. There are a few side effects, but they are quite manageable. Should he ever become one of the 13%, there is another drug that is effective in most of those cases.

Before he was diagnosed, he was one of the healthiest people I have ever met. A competitive runner in high school, he continued to stay active and maintained a healthy lifestyle and diet.

Volumes of research have not identified a specific genetic, environmental, or lifestyle cause for this. No herb or village dance exists that will do what this pill does.

Stef-THAT is a happy ending. And really a very nice story for no doubt a nice DH. I don't advocate against ALL "piils". As my Doctor friend clearly said, once there is Disease, it's time to ring the Bell to modern medicine, which has moved society forward. Polio, Malaria etc. Your Husband is the inexplicable medical example of illness and so it is a good solution and has saved his life.

That's not what I'm talking about. I mean the anxiety, sleeping, blood pressure, etc etc medications that are handed out like confetti by Doctors. The bread and butter drugs of these Pharmaceutical Giants. Drugs that cause reliance or addiction.

No herb or village dance exists that will do what this pill does.

Let's not belittle Homeopathy and Naturopathic science please. After all it was around a few thousand years before the modern stuff. It is still valid and used by Pharmaceutical companies to emulate their "drugs". There must be a good reason why the German Gov't has made it law that a Pharmacist must show you the natural alternative. Novartis and the like have teams of researchers analyzing the very Barks used by tribes in the Amazon.

We must never let the arrogance of modern man overwhelm the foundations laid by our ancestors.

My Father. A man who suffered an Ulcer for at least 15 years. "Pinned" to a drug by his Doctor for yes, 15 years. Some Novartis "Ulcer Drug". One day someone notified my Father of an Australian Doctor's Ulcer cure that was being practiced in Canada as well. So my Father took it on.

This Doctor identified a certain acid that produces the ulcer. By doing a physical operation to stop the body from producing the acid, you would no longer be able to trigger the Ulcer.

My Father has not had an ulcer for the past 15 years. No pills.

That's a nice story. He relied on the "magic" of Pharmaceuticals but was cured by the science of identifying cause.

Well hurrah for the inventers of the leukemia pill!!!! And special blessings to those who invest their time and skill in rare things that don't necessarily bring fame and fortune.

BTW, while a huge proportion of users of Viagra are drinkers who can't abuse alcohol and still get it up anymore, it is also a blessing to people who suffer from debilitating conditions that otherwise would just make them miserable and depressed.

Yes, of course, too many people rely on drugs for conditions they could probably "cure" with a lifestyle change.

That is a good outcome for your dad also. If I remember correctly, Ulcer research took quite a jump forward just a few years back with several important discoveries.

BTW the key to the leukemia pill, Gleevec, was discovered by a scientist who decided to work part time from home so she could spend more time with her family. She literally had her work spread out on the dining room table when she hit on the idea for a cure.

Thank you for your input on the lights. :o) After posting earlier, I had googled and found some nice examples. There are even a few threads here that I had missed.

We 'went to town' and got them. Purchased the chandelier for above the island (I still can't believe the price), and ordered the other ones. I am very happy. I think they will throw much more light than the other ones, and I really like the 'old' glass.

Steff, that's wonderful that your hubby is doing so well! It's nice to hear something positive - a nice change from the usual stories we hear.

I am a firm believer in taking advantage of both 'holistic' and 'pharmaceutical' information. There is *so* much more info available to all of us now via the internet. I think it's great that we have access to it all.

Ya see. First she snubs my Holistic herbal, head saving, brew. Then she just leaves my new Health Mojitos after I personally went all the way to Cuba and assembled the finest melody of fresh exotic ingredients, just for her.

Take a look at photo #106 under "Kitchen eye candy" (napagirl's post) in Missy's linked thread. It looks like we have a Colorful Mexican Kitchen. And what is that sink? Tile or Talavera, can't be sure.

So glad you were able to get that chandelier, Missy. It's going to look great.

I'm sure plllog will be back soon, Solman. She probably needs to have her own space for a while.

Ya see. First she snubs my Holistic herbal, head saving, brew. Then she just leaves my new Health Mojitos after I personally went all the way to Cuba and assembled the finest melody of fresh exotic ingredients, just for her.

Hey Stef-Missy, have you noticed Flipper our Pacific Dolphin has been missing today?

I hope she's not out swimming... literally. I told her not to go in the Garage until I came back with the Life Preservers.

Missy- please book me out again, I'm off to L.A. on another search and rescue. If I can't find her, I'll go to Whole Foods and pick up a crate of Sardines. Dolphins come very fast when they smell those.

Oh something I wanted to share. When I was at Sears' Appliance Dep't, I asked the Salesman what the number one selling color is. It was White, by far. Really shocked me since I thought it's Stainless Mania out there.

I wonder if the colored Washer craze will carry on to fridges. Europe has Green and Red and Blue. I think Mexico too. Would be nice actually.

Back in 1995 we purchased a white refrigerator. I really thought white would be the best option and not get outdated like colors did. After 14 years the white one looked very outdated due to the boxy shape, the handles, and the yellowing trim. When the icemaker quit and could not be repaired, we purchased a stainless steel model with slightly retro styling. Now I look at the fridge as just another appliance that may need to be updated again. That's a completely different view than my parents generation. I'm pretty sure the colors that are popular now will seem dated in a few years.

The question of how quickly a kitchen will look outdated is something I have given a lot of thought to this past year while planning updates. It's why I have opted for a warm, eclectic look and hope it will be a little more timeless.

Good eye, Steff. It def looks like some sort of unique tile sink! I still really like the looks of them. They look very authentic to me.

I agree on the appliances. I have always had white from personal preference. I have no complaints about my fridge, and it suits our needs very well, but it def looks dated. As you mentioned, the handle, shade of white, shelving type etc all gives it a label.

With that said, if they come out with coloured fridges that are a reasonable price, I will be hard pressed not to bite. I've always loved the mid-century coloured appliances. I've been tempted to paint mine 'just because'. I know that if/when we sell, whoever buys the house will want new appliances, so - what would it hurt to paint it? lol

What I liked about this IKEA Wall Oven is that's it's not really like the typical White Appliance because it's not painted. It's actually White Glass. The entire front. Kind of like Glass tiles on the Back splash. As the IKEA girl said, it sort of just blends into the cabinet because of the slight transparency of Glass.

I would never be able to paint because of this fact.

I'm still surprised that White is a top seller in 2010. Looks like it's Classic.

Prairie-Did you see the Stainless version of the same Oven. It is literally like a mirror. Impressive, but holy fingerprintarama. But certainly flashy.

IKEA is interesting that way. Their Appliances have a lot of pop for the buck. You get the same Euro design as Miele and the big German names for half the price.

Does anyone think that the prices for Miele is really worth it? Or is it bragging rights and name dropping when guests come over. They never top any Consumer Ratings that I have ever seen; either here or in Germany.

By the way, LOVE the weather here. It's Spring!!! All the snow is non existent and melted from the weekend rains. How's California Plllog (where ever you are) . Has it stopped yet?

Stef-Missy, I've done the numbers on the back splash and looks like we can go with the Double Barreled Brothers. But just want to see if you agree with me on the layout. Also, the style of Double Barrel. Do we want just one grouping (4) on either side of the window and Mural. Or 2 groupings to the right of Mural and left of window? Rendition Photo below has one grouping only in all 4 positions/walls.

Window Elevation

Left of Window- 2 arrangements (true double barrel)
Right of window 1 Arrangement

Left of window is 47 inches
Right of window is 39 inches

Cooking Elevation

Left of Mural- 1 arrangements (true double barrel)
Right of Mural- 2 Arrangements

By the way, LOVE the weather here. It's Spring!!! All the snow is non existent and melted from the weekend rains. How's California Plllog (where ever you are) . Has it stopped yet?

Stef-Missy, I've done the numbers on the back splash and looks like we can go with the Double Barreled Brothers. But just want to see if you agree with me on the layout. Also, the style of Double Barrel. Do we want just one grouping (4) on either side of the window and Mural. Or 2 groupings to the right of Mural and left of window? Rendition Photo below has one grouping only in all 4 positions/walls.

Window Elevation

Left of Window- 2 arrangements (true double barrel)
Right of window 1 Arrangement

Left of window is 47 inches
Right of window is 39 inches

Cooking Elevation

Left of Mural- 1 arrangements (true double barrel)
Right of Mural- 2 Arrangements

I've been looking at the screen paneled doors. We were talking about the Green painting. Now do we mean Green only on the edges of all the squares with an ultra fine art brush? But that's a lot of edges isn't it? And the front face of the squares White? And the outer frame White?

So you don't have enough to do the hopping frog or lace mantilla as we discussed before?

You do need more deco tiles on the 47" left side to keep the the double barrels from getting lost in the yellow when compared to the right side. Would you skip one column of tiles and then another double barrel? Depending on how many you have, you could do a rectangle on the left and a square on the right. This would be reversed on the mural wall. The yellow frames would relate to the rectangle shape of the mural, but not compete.

The green line would take a lot of patience, but it would make a big difference to brighten up the plain white. I would not do the green line on the grille doors. The plan is to do the cabinet doors and frame in white.

Yes to green in holes. You don't want the brown of the fiberboard or whatever that is to show so the insides of the holes have to be painted anyway. Use a small foam brush and just wiggle it around inside the hole, at least on the first coat(s) rather than dealing with the art brush. Then use a foam, not pressed too hard, for the white, trying not to get it in the holes. Touch up inside the holes with your art brush.

Totally confused on the tile question. Do you mean you have enough tiles altogether if you do the double barreled? Can you do the full layout, like you did before, turning the corners, etc.?

GULP;;;; Anytime you laugh at Mother Nature, you always pay the price.

Brrrr, it's FRIGID!

Thanks Stef for the suggestion. I started thinking just one grouping because the Mural elevation right of Mural has that boxed in pipe sticking out and that ruins the double barreled 2 groupings look.

I like the sponge idea Plllog, the art brush had me worried.

Missy,I see you're also trying to beat the HRTC deadline. Good luck. Hope you get this message before you leave. They have a fantastic resilient floating floor called Traffic Master. Super easy install, comfortable, durable, ultra realistic. If I was going for a wood plank look, I would have bought it in a flash. Nice stuff. A local high end restaurant here used it and it looks and feels great. They ripped brand new ceramic tile out for this stuff!

Solman, I didn't get your note before I left (I'm home again), so I didn't look at the Traffic Master. I did some googling, and it looks like it's a laminate type flooring. We are doing hardwood throughout the main floor, except for right in front of the front and patio doors. I don't think laminate would work alongside the hardwood (Ipe). I just got some plainish very dark brown/black ceramic tiles. I don't want them to be a 'feature', just practical landing places for wet/muddy footwear that will mostly disappear. I likely will have area rugs on top as well, so you won't see much of the tile at the end of the day. :o)